Draco's POV
Sunday morning hit me like the Knight Bus— sudden and painful.
At first, I didn't remember what I had done. It almost felt like a dream. But Potter's absence on the bed made everything clear.
I was up early, and the bed was still made. I strangely missed a curled-up Potter with messy hair. His company wasn't exactly comforting, but it was somewhat comforting to have him in the room rather than being alone. But I was not supposed to miss the presence of an enemy, so I supposed all this was for the good.
I sat up on the couch, blanket wrapped around my waist. I stretched lightly, rubbing my eyes, before I slumped back along the cushions.
I glanced around the room again to double-check that Potter really wasn't here. His anger startled me when he came on to me yesterday. I had never seen Potter so angry. It was almost demonic.
At that moment, I was reminded that Potter was the man who killed the bloody Dark Lord— and shouldn't be crossed at all, as thin and frail he looked to be. I had obviously hurt him, and it didn't delight me as it had done in previous years.
I still had that guilt lurking in me, but I didn't focus on it. It only confused me and made me pity Potter, which was the last thing I needed right now. So, I chose to ignore it. I couldn't undo my actions now. Therefore, it made no sense to pay attention to it.
I don't care about Potter.
I don't.
After a short shower and dressing in casual robes, I left my dorm. I wasn't greeted by Astoria today, which reminded me that I needed to apologise to her. I was really rude to her during our last meeting. I was asked to keep her happy. That should be my focus.
I entered the Great Hall, making my way to the candidate's table with my head low. I noticed Potter sitting between Lovegood and Longbottom at a distance from me. He had his head down as if he was trying to be invisible.
But as if he sensed me, Potter faced up, looking right into my eyes. A second later, his stare turned into a glare as he gripped the spoon tightly. I looked away, pretending not to notice him.
I wondered if he was going to get me back. He shouldn't because we were even now. He meddled in my personal stuff, and I into his. But I needed to stay alert in case he tried to do something.
Harry's POV
"You know, my mother used to say you shouldn't stop until you finish everything from your plate," I heard Luna say in her airy voice. It brought me back to the present.
I loosened my grip on the spoon and continued eating, muttering, "Sorry," without looking at her.
"Don't be," she replied cheerfully, "I understand you're angry with Malfoy, but there's nothing you can do except forget it."
Angry is an understatement.
But I took some time to digest what Luna had said. Was it true that I could do nothing? Just sit and accept defeat? He could mess up my life, and I would just let him do it.
"How do you expect me to forget it, Luna?" I faced her, "Malfoy did something tremendously unforgivable. You can't expect me to be quiet about it. I will make him pay for what he did. He will not win this."
"And will you?" Luna was surprisingly calm, given my furious face. She gave me a sweet smile.
"Yes," I said, not knowing what else to reply.
"And for how long will this continue?" she asked and, without waiting for my reply, continued, "You said Malfoy did this because you read his letter. He obviously didn't like that and got his revenge. Now, let it go. If you try to get back to him, he might do worse the next time. And this can't go on forever."
I scoffed. "Our enmity isn't something new. It will go on either way."
"It doesn't have to be. You can stop that. Be the bigger person here, Harry." Luna's dreamy voice was hypnotising. "If you use fire against fire, the world will end up in flames."
I tried to understand her. Nodding, I continued eating the rest of my breakfast.
"You know what will take your mind off these things, Harry?" Neville piped in. He had been silently eating this entire time.
I gave him a curious look.
"A day out with your friends," he said, beaming. "How about we go somewhere after breakfast? All of us, even Seamus, Padma and the twins. We can spend a day together. Have lunch at some nice place. I've heard there are some newly opened restaurants at Hogsmeade. What do you say?"
I gulped the food down my throat. As much as I wanted to deny the idea, possibly because I knew people would not spare me from their gazes, I was also aware my friends would never judge me, no matter what I wrote in my journal. And that was all I cared about right now.
"I say yes," I smiled. "Let's do it."
"Brilliant!" Neville clapped my back. "I'll inform everyone else."
I nodded and continued eating my breakfast. But despite Luna's reassurance, my eyes landed on the blond Slytherin at the end of the table again. He was talking to Astoria. And from the smile on her face, it seemed his day would be better than mine.
Draco's POV
It wasn't difficult to apologise to Astoria when she was the one who approached me first. Honestly, I wasn't expecting that. From my previous knowledge, girls usually liked to play hard when it came to apologies. But Astoria appeared out of the blue while I was eating and startled me. She could be so unpredictable at times.
After swallowing my food, I turned to her and changed my expression to something sincere.
"Hey, Astoria," I began, "About yesterday... I apologise for my behaviour. You didn't deserve to hear that."
Astoria didn't think twice before forgiving me, her face breaking into a wide smile.
"Don't worry about it, Draco," she said, "I didn't take it personally. I knew you only said those things because you were angry."
I dearly hoped for that to be true.
"I actually came over to ask you if you wanted to join me and my friends at Hogsmeade?" Astoria asked, blushing. "We're planning to hang out and eat lunch there."
She gestured towards the group of giggling girls that were her said friends. The reluctance must have been visible on my face because Astoria said, "Please, Draco, I would love it so much if you could come."
I sighed internally and nodded. It wasn't like I had any other plans anyway.
Astoria beamed, her willowy body turning to send a thumbs-up to her friends.
"I'll be waiting for you in the courtyard, and we can spend some time together before we head off to Hogsmeade."
Leaning, Astoria kissed my cheek. I was taken aback by the gesture. But she didn't seem to have noticed. Beaming, she turned and flounced away, with her friends following behind her with fresh giggles.
I touched the place Astoria kissed me, rubbing it away with the sleeve of my robe as soon as she was out of sight. Then I turned back to my breakfast, appetite depleted.
Harry's POV
I took a stroll in the northern courtyard after breakfast. Neville was helping Theo change some furniture in their dorm. Luna had plans with some sixth-year girls. She was teaching them how to knit from what she told me. Padma offered me to join her in the library, but that place felt more suffocating to me than it already was. Hence, I decided to hang out by myself until it was our time to go for lunch.
I didn't remember the last I had walked around like this by myself. There were times when I would stroll around the Burrow for a long time and sometimes disappear for so long that Ginny had to come looking for me. Only then would I realise how far I had drifted away. But it felt good— wandering off with my thoughts.
The courtyard had fewer people. Obviously, the students and the professors, including the candidates, had better plans to spend their Sunday morning. Most people were just passing from one spot to another, rather than strolling like me.
As I turned around the corner, I heard footsteps approach me. Someone in a feminine voice said, "Hello!"
It was a brunette sixth-year girl. I had seen her a few times in my potions class. She was a student in the student program.
"I'm Natalie Harris," she said before I could reply. "I'm in your potions' and defence against dark arts class for the sixth year."
"Uhm... hello," I said awkwardly, trying to smile. I don't understand why she would try to have a small talk with me on Sunday morning in the North courtyard while I was all alone. If there was anything about her classes she needed to ask, she could have done that during the lecture or, better, asked a professor. This meeting was extremely strange, and it didn't help when she looked at me like that.
"Listen, I'm so sorry about what happened to you," she said, her face solemn.
It took me a second to realise what she was referring to. And once I understood that, the conversation just became more awkward. I opened my mouth to respond, but she interrupted.
"I can imagine what it must feel like." Her pitiful expression didn't change. "You must have a lot of doubts and concerns right now. But you didn't deserve that. And trust me, it will get better. After some time, everyone will forget about it as if it never happened."
I stared at her face for a moment, mouth slightly ajar. I didn't know what else to reply except, "T-Thanks."
Natalie instantly smiled. "It's my pleasure," she said. "I wonder what must have caused Mr Malfoy to do such a horrible thing." She drifted in thoughts for a second before beaming a pearly white smile at me again. "Oh, I shouldn't have mentioned that. Anyway, I'll take your leave. Have a good day."
I nodded with pressed lips, unable to shake off the feeling that this girl was odd. "Have a good day as well." I watched her walk away until she disappeared around the corner.
I decided to continue with my stroll, mulling over classes and when Natalie Harris had ever been friendly.
As I turned around the corner again, I saw Seamus and Wilson running toward me.
"Hello, Harry," Seamus said, face red and off breath. "Change of plans. We're leaving early."
Seamus bent over, clutching a stitch to his side. Wilson patted his shoulder, reassuringly.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Nothing," Wilson said, "We just realised that almost the entire Hogwarts is planning to visit the most famous restaurant in Hogsmeade. So, if we want to get a seat, we have to leave now."
"Right now?" I looked at them questioningly.
"Well, the sooner, the better," Seamus said, apparently recovered.
"Wendy and Luna will return from their knitting classes soon," Wilson said.
"Alright, let me just grab my coat," I said.
"Sure, and bring Neville with you when you return," Seamus said.
"Bet!" And I turned on my heels.
It was only when I entered the candidate's dormitory— I realised I had to go into my dorm, not Neville's. Entering my dorm meant encountering the presence of Malfoy. Now that was going to be a problem.
To my misfortune, Malfoy was already present in the room. Astoria was also there for some reason. I remembered she had certain advantages since she was a prefect, but I honestly didn't know if she should use them like this. But why would I care about the couple? As long as she was there, she would keep Malfoy engaged. It'd be easier for me to grab my coat and walk out.
I felt Malfoy and Astoria stare at me when I opened the door, but I didn't look at them. I quietly walked toward my trunk and began searching for my coat. Astoria continued talking to Malfoy again.
"How about this one?" she said. "You will look good in this one."
"Probably." Malfoy's voice was coated in boredom, as if he couldn't care less. I wasn't looking at him, but could picture his face well. Honestly, he didn't deserve a girlfriend like Astoria.
"Alright, this is it," Astoria said excitedly. "I will see you in fifteen minutes. I have already informed my friends that we're leaving earlier. So, they will meet us at Hogsmeade. We can have some time to ourselves until then." Her tone turned suggestive, and I was grateful that I couldn't see their faces— they were probably gazing into each other's faces like some sick lovebirds.
"Sounds great," Malfoy said, almost sarcastically.
"I'll get ready and meet you..."
I didn't hear what Astoria said next, since I had walked into the bathroom, trying to find my coat. When I came out, Astoria was gone. Seeing Malfoy alone pissed me off. I shut the door loudly.
Then, I tried searching for my coat in the trunk again. I couldn't have kept it anywhere else. Still, it wasn't in my trunk. It got me more irritated than I already was. Where is that coat?
Pushing the trunk aside, I opened the cupboard doors to see if I had left it there, just in case. But there was no sign of the coat. Angrily, I slammed the doors of the cupboard and watched Malfoy startle from the corner of my eye.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Malfoy asked coldly. That question itself was laced with so much mockery and sarcasm. After ruining my life, this git asked me why I was acting like this.
It was very hard for me to keep my calm after that.
"I'm starting to wonder if there is anything else that got stolen besides my journal."
"I don't doubt there's a thief here." I could hear the smirk on Malfoy's lips even though I didn't face him. "My letter was also stolen, if you recall."
I stiffened for a second. Then decided to ignore him and continued looking for my coat, opening random drawers. Luckily, I found it in one of them.
"Not so funny when it concerns you, is it?" Malfoy sneered. "You can't just hold it against me when you're the careless one! Who's the careless one now, Potter?"
I knew he was testing my patience. But I had plans with my friends right now. I shouldn't get into any trouble. I took off and proceeded toward the door when I heard Malfoy say, quietly, "Scared, Potter?"
Alright, that's it.
//OoooOooOh Dramaaa~~
You guys are going to enjoy the next chapter ;)